Well that was a mid-season to remember. We lost two memorable characters who exist on the extreme ends of the morality spectrum while we relearn that zombies are bad but people are badder in TWD universe. As the episode began, the Governor, was in full on politician mode trying to convince his new “people” to take over the prison. In a pushy move the Governor already took two hostages from Team-Rick (Michonne and Hershel) to force everyone’s weary hands. His two hostages are pawns? bargaining chips? Or just excuses to try to pretend hes not a full on dick? Basically he needs them to help convince Rick and the gang to leave The Prison of Sorrow and Community meals so they won’t have to full on kill everyone there but of course he adds “But we need to be prepared to”. In keeping with the tradition of the Governor finding mirrors and reflections of himself in everything, like the egotistical sociopath he is, the Governor characterizes everyone at the prison as “thieves” and “murderers”. He even point blank calls Rick a liar when he tries to not give in to the Governors demands – knowing in that position he would most certainly be a liar.

Lily is finally realizing that the “Brian” flavored Kool Aid she has been drinking is just that: Kool Aid. For the second episode in a row she shares her feelings about going to the Prison: Bad idea. She finds their little caravan city to be “home” and I also think shes beginning to see the fault in trusting everything she holds dear with him – finally. He tells her that he loves her and she kindly responds that she doesn’t know who he is -HA. Phillip is unmoved because he thinks that just because he isn’t hiding his plan from her means he is on the up and up. Haha. Lily is starting to see the killer inside with this reveal and what she sees isn’t pretty. Another way the Governor probably sees himself on the up and up is he substitutes his usual interrogation methods (ie: feeding people to walkers, sexual assault) for simple conversation and minor first aid. How off-putting for Michonne to get bandaged up by this asshat. Hershel, here, from the get go is already trying to lay down to the tracks for the two groups to live together – Which Michonne and the Governor knows will never happen. Hershel even tries to throw around the “daughtery” feelings but the Governor isn’t biting. He is part of a certain way of thinking: Protect what is “mine” and to hell with everyone else. Compared to Ricks “Three Questions” and Martinez’s “Two Facts” the Governors motto is the darkest by far. It seems to work until it just doesn’t. Side note: During this scene I did spy the Governor pocket that one eyed white chess king answering my questions about how it possibly gets to the prison yard later on.

Back the prison, Maggie and Glen share a quiet sweet moment as she helps nurse him back to health but more importantly we finally get Daryl’s reaction to Carols exile which is… pretty boring actually. He’s mad and sort of angry but ultimately not the drama I wanted/needed. The moment is interrupted by Tyreese who has found something pretty disturbing. Someone, the mysterious saboteur, seems to have nailed down a rat on a bored and performed some sort of open chest biology lesson with it – YUM. In another room Bob sits ominously with a shoe box and acts ten shades of creepy. We are probably meant to assume it is his hidden booze but I’m thinking there are some dead rat parts in there BECAUSE BOB HAS TO BE THE SABOTEUR RIGHT? Tyreese immediately blames the saboteur for Karen’s death but before Rick can tell him the sad truth they are interrupted again by a better distraction: The Governor and his people have arrived with the tank in tow. The tank and trucks line the fence while everyone is armed up with guns. This is a memorable moment in the comic book so I sort of knew immediately what to expect but to an outsider I’m sure it was just insanity.

Rick offers himself up for Hershel but the Governor will have none of it. He wants everyone at the prison to leave by sundown or he will execute Hershel and Michonne. Back in the woods Lily watches a walker pointlessly try to cross the river, while Meghan plays in some well placed red mud yards away. Meghan asks for help digging something up in her mud pit but Lily is busy keeping watch on the river walker. When Meghan finally gets the buried treasure out we see its an old warning sign for flash floods in that area: cue the walker underneath her mud pit to start a carrie-esce climb out of the ground. Of course the Governors love is like a bad omen because Meghan dies today. This entire set up was a bit ridiculous but solid child character death is worth it.

Back at the prison showdown: Rick, desperate to not be the great DECIDER, makes one of his harder decisions. He offers to share the prison with them – proving Hershel is in fact his power animal. Earlier the Governor would never have expected Rick to make such a suggestion. He couldn’t imagine Hershel essentially showing Rick how to be a better man and Rick actually following instruction. This may not be farmer Rick but it certainly is a differently Rick from before – hes better, fairer, and just. He puts his foot down and suggests they will share the prison or they will have to fight for it. Despite their differences, Rick believes they are all not so “far gone” and all have the ability to change. Unfortunately in the following silent moments the Governor realizes he is in fact “too far gone” and cannot simply change and he of course sees himself in Rick and therefore assumes Rick cannot change also (hence the “Liar”). So the Governor takes out Michonne’s sword and my comic book mind went into overdrive; are they going to do it?! YES! The Governor begins to cut off Hershel’s head igniting a full scale gun fight from everyone. While the fight continues he fully hacks off Hershel’s head and as he finishes Lily appears walking into the battle scene with a lifeless Meghan in her arms. He takes the child and immediately shoots her in the head before ordering his people to fully take the prison and “kill em’ all”. The tank begins to take down the much needed fences and they advance on Team Rick.

On the way into the yard, Rick lunges at the Governor and they finally get in a much needed hand to hand battle that Rick was seriously close to losing before Michonne came in the save the day. In the chaos she escaped, cut her hand ties, and got back her sword to promptly shove it through the Governors back before he nearly kills Rick. She proves that loyalty and friendship will help you win in this universe, while also adequately getting her retribution for herself and for dead-Andrea. As the battle ends the entire group is left in different situations, separated and hopefully ready for some real character development in the future.

As we leave for winter break lets cover where everyone is: A pre-set evacuation bus with supplies is filled with an ailing Glenn, and other faceless red shirts but instead of waiting for more main characters to help them survive they take off for destinations unknown separating the one working love story on this show: Glenn and Maggie. Tyreese is ironically saved by Lizzie, who finally kills someone and of course its a real human being (awesome lol) and then leaves with the children somehow taking on Carols caregiver role. An injured Bob, still kinda sick Sasha, and Maggie watch the bus leave them behind but manage to escape the falling prison on foot. Beth, unable to locate the other children and keyly Baby Judith, has to make a run for it with Daryl. A beaten bloodied Rick finds Carl and they tearfully run off into the woods after finding Judith’s empty car seat covered with blood. They assume hungry walkers took her but her actual fate is up the air – which is acceptable. Michonne mysteriously disappears from the action leaving me imaging her spending some quality time with Judith. Also in an unexpected move we got some extra story from sisters Lily and Tara. Lily finally seeing her naivety as her daughters death sentence, steps up and shoots the Governor dead after he met the business end of Michonne’s katana and Tara, shell-shocked, just runs for cover during the fight. Mitch is awesomely also dead from a timely Daryl arrow.

So we leave all of our players in different corners, with their own new obstacles, ready to hopefully rise to my expectations for this show when it returns next February. Also did anyone else spy creepy Clara in walker form at the end there? Am I losing it? Now to find some other better show to talk about next week? Any ideas?